Georgia football did not look like the two-time defending national champions in the first half of Saturday's game versus South Carolina. An out-of sorts offense gave way to a 14-3 deficit before things started rolling in the third quarter.

Much like the shaky 24-14 victory at Sanford Stadium, the team has a mixture of good and bad news in their latest injury updates. And it concerns the always-important offensive line. Amarius Mims, who exited the SEC clash with an ankle injury, is going to miss some time.

“Mims' ankle sprain was bad,” head coach Kirby Smart said, per DawgNation's Connor Riley. “He’s going to have to have tightrope surgery. We don’t know how long that will be. He’ll be back but we don’t know how long that will be.”

Related Georgia Football NewsArticle continues below
Michigan Wolverines tight ends coach Grant Newsome against the TCU Horned Frogs during the 2022 Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium.
Michigan football battling 2 Big 10 heavyweights for 4-star OT
Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) scores on a 1-yard touchdown run against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the second half at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
USC could rebound from 5-star decommitment with No. 1 TE
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia football’s Kirby Smart calls out Congress over NIL

The lack of a timetable is somewhat alarming. The former five-star recruit filled in on the O-Line for then-injured right tackle Warren McClendon during last season's College Football Playoff. This was Mims' first opportunity to be a full-time starter, with him being named preseason SEC First-Team.

Georgia football is regaining some protection in the trenches, however. Smart says Austin Blaske will return to practice on Monday but may not be fully healthy. The Bulldogs' banged-up offensive line hosts UAB (1-2) this Saturday night. The Blazers surrendered 40 points-plus in each of their last two games, so the No.1 team in the country should still be able to comfortably take care of business in Athens.

But the line will likely need to be mended if Georgia is going to earn the coveted three-peat. Because, as South Carolina showed last weekend, the road back to the top might not be nearly as straightforward as some fans anticipated before the season.